Opposition unites to challenge Modi govt on Dhankhar's exit; can it pull it off?

In a sudden and politically charged development, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation has stirred a storm across the Indian political spectrum. In the latest episode of Capital Beat, a panel discussion featuring Anand K Sahay, senior journalist and political commentator, and Puneet Nicholas Yadav, Political Editor of The Federal examines the mystery surrounding Dhankhar’s abrupt exit and its implications for the upcoming Vice Presidential election and the national political landscape.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s remarks that Dhankhar “defended the BJP and RSS more than their own leaders” and yet was forced to resign have raised questions about the government's internal dynamics. Other Opposition leaders, including Akhilesh Yadav and Mamata Banerjee, have also demanded clarity, alleging that Dhankhar’s exit signals deeper fissures within the ruling establishment.

With the BJP maintaining a studied silence, except for a cryptic tweet by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speculation is rife. The Opposition, sensing political opportunity, has resolved to raise the issue inside and outside Parliament.

Also read: Jagdeep Dhankhar made unscheduled visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan before resignation

Parliament strategy and BJP’s silence

Yadav confirmed that the INDIA bloc plans to take up the matter in both Houses of Parliament, subject to procedural allowance. “The silence itself speaks volumes,” he said, adding that discussions among senior BJP and NDA leaders are likely only after the Prime Minister returns from his overseas tour on July 26.

The Election Commission is expected to issue a notification soon, with the Vice Presidential election potentially scheduled for September. This has raised concerns about whether it will intersect with the Bihar elections and what effect that timing may have on the NDA's cohesion.

While the BJP was politically stronger in 2022, when Dhankhar was elected, internal alignments have since shifted. “The political cohesion between the BJP and RSS isn't what it was,” Yadav observed, suggesting that imposing a nominee unilaterally might not be as straightforward this time around.

Also read: EC begins process for Vice President election

The Bihar factor and alliance politics

Anand K Sahay contextualised the resignation within the broader political calculus. He pointed out that if the BJP fields a Vice Presidential candidate from Bihar, it could potentially influence the dynamics of the Bihar Assembly election. However, such a decision could also backfire if it strains ties with key NDA allies like Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) or Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP.

The BJP faces a strategic difficulty: If it feels the nominee will help it paper over cracks with allies, it may proceed. If not, it may postpone the election, said Sahay. Since the resignation was not constitutionally required, but precipitated by political circumstances, the allies may view it as a forced move rather than an organic transition.

This nuance raises the stakes for BJP’s internal consensus-building and could influence the timing of the election in relation to the Bihar polls.

Also read: PM Modi’s curt farewell note to Dhankhar sparks talk over timing and tone

A constitutional vacuum

Dhankhar’s resignation constitutes an unprecedented political event. While the Vice President is not a member of either House and is not obligated to explain his resignation on the floor, Sahay stressed that the government should issue an official explanation to uphold democratic norms.

“The Vice President of India does not resign casually. He was conducting the House without any known health impediment. What was so earth-shaking that he had to go?” he wondered.

Adding fuel to speculation are reports that an impeachment motion against a Supreme Court judge, accepted by Dhankhar in the Rajya Sabha, may have triggered his exit. Yadav clarified that while both Houses received such motions, only the Rajya Sabha confirmed admission, potentially rendering the Lok Sabha motion void. However, he underscored the importance of separating judicial proceedings from parliamentary processes to avoid confusion.

Also read: Mystery of why Dhankhar resigned, and who will replace him as Vice President

Challenge before opposition bloc

With the INDIA bloc facing internal divisions, especially with parties like the AAP distancing themselves, forming a united front will not be easy. Yadav pointed out that opposition coordination remains tenuous: “There’s nothing to suggest that the Trinamool Congress and the Congress are back on good terms.”

Even if the Opposition fields a consensus candidate, the BJP-led NDA holds the upper hand. Still, Yadav emphasized that the INDIA bloc needs an independent strategy rather than reacting to the government’s moves. “They need to apply their own mind instead of being dictated to,” he said.

As the country awaits answers, the resignation has opened a Pandora’s box of questions about political intimidation, constitutional propriety, and the health of parliamentary democracy.

(The content above has been transcribed from video using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.)